Myers Park Offers Collin County Residents 158 Acres of Events and Green Space

The windmill John and Winnie Myers once farmed beneath still stands at the North Gate entrance off County Road 166, unchanged in spirit since the couple donated their acreage to Collin County in 1969. What has changed is everything behind it. The original "Collin County Youth Park" has grown into 158-acre Myers Park & Event Center: a facility that hosts circuses, dog shows, motor sports events, livestock exhibitions, and weddings, and, the detail most residents miss entirely, the world's first Earth-Kind® perennial plant research center ever formally established.

What You'll Find on the Grounds

Myers Park sits at 7117 County Road 166, McKinney, TX 75071, and its scale becomes clear quickly once past the gate. The campus includes an amphitheater, a lakeside gazebo, a pond, show barns, a stall barn, pole barns, and named event venues including The Landing reception hall and the Pole Barn. A Victorian farmhouse stands near the park office on the main approach, offering a visual anchor to the property's agricultural roots. The Collin County Farm Museum, the award-winning Earth-Kind research gardens, and spaces operated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Collin County Master Gardeners round out the property. The park office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and can be reached at (972) 548-4792.

The Collin County Farm Museum

Inside the Wells Building, the Collin County Farm Museum packs 8,528 square feet of collections and restoration exhibits that trace the region's rural history from the first settlers through the 1960s. Dr. Jennifer Rogers serves as the museum's contact and primary resource for its holdings of vintage farming equipment, historical artifacts, and restored vehicles, with guided tours, interactive displays, and educational workshops available for school groups and families alike. The exhibits are not confined to the Wells Building: outdoor artifacts spread across the grounds include a Granary, a Confinement House, and a Blacksmith Shop, meaning the museum experience begins the moment visitors pass the historic windmill at the gate. Together, these elements connect a rapidly suburbanizing county to the farming culture that defined it for a century.

The Surprising Detail: An Internationally Recognized Research Garden

Here is what most Collin County residents don't know. In 2008, the Collin County Commissioner's Court approved a joint request from the Collin County AgriLife Extension Service, the Collin County Master Gardeners Association, and Myers Park staff to create the first Earth-Kind® perennial plant research center ever established anywhere. The Earth-Kind® Environmental Landscape Management System, developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, promotes pesticide-free, fertilizer-free, low-maintenance landscaping designed to conserve natural resources. The result is the Dr. Greg Church Perennial Research Garden, located in the northeast corner of the park near the park office and formally designated as "internationally recognized," a distinction rare for any county-owned green space in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.

Adjacent to it, an Annual Demonstration Garden shows how seasonal and perennial plants can be layered together. Two more gardens added in 2017 deepen the experience. Whole Foods funded a children's garden near the Farm Museum through proceeds from its 5% Giving Day; the outdoor classroom features stone steps, a seating area, and multiple activity zones designed for young visitors. That same year, Myers Park funded construction of a shade garden south of the Farm Museum, designed by Collin County Master Gardeners using Japanese Maples, shrubs, perennials, and annuals. That garden now serves a dual purpose: a photogenic backdrop for outdoor wedding ceremonies and a cooling retreat during warm-weather visits.

Events: From Livestock Shows to Circuses

Myers Park's programming calendar runs nearly year-round and spans a wider range than most residents anticipate. Regular fixtures include antique tractor shows, spring plant sales, dog shows, horse shows, livestock exhibitions, concerts in the amphitheater, and community festivals. Less expected: the park has hosted circuses, motor sports events, trade shows, scouting events, "Restoring History" programming, and youth camping trips alongside business conferences. That breadth makes Myers Park one of the more versatile publicly owned event spaces in the entire DFW metro area.

For private events, The Landing and the Pole Barn are the most in-demand venues, with spring and fall dates booking quickly. The 2017 shade garden has become a specific request among wedding planners seeking a ceremony backdrop with natural canopy. Anyone booking should contact the park office well ahead of target dates; popular weekends fill fast.

Best Seasons and What Costs Money

Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) are the strongest windows for visiting. The gardens peak visually in spring, when the Annual Demonstration Garden, the Dr. Greg Church Perennial Research Garden, and the children's garden are all in active bloom. Fall brings agricultural fairs, harvest festivals, and cooler temperatures for walking the outdoor artifact trail.

On the free-versus-paid question:

• The park's open green spaces, picnic areas, and outdoor artifact trail covering the windmill, granary, blacksmith shop, and confinement house are accessible at no cost during standard park hours.
• Farm Museum admission for guided tours and educational workshops varies; contact Dr. Jennifer Rogers or park staff to confirm current rates before visiting.
• Large public events such as livestock shows, concerts, and seasonal festivals are typically ticketed; smaller community gatherings may be free. Check the Collin County event calendar before arriving.
• Venue rental for The Landing, the Pole Barn, or the amphitheater requires a booking contract and fee coordinated through Collin County.

A Sample 2-3 Hour Weekend Itinerary

Hour One: Gate to Museum

Enter through the North Gate off County Road 166 and pause at the windmill, the first outdoor artifact in the farm museum's extended collection. Walk toward the Victorian farmhouse near the park office, then continue to the Wells Building to explore the museum's 8,528 square feet of exhibits. Budget 45 to 60 minutes if you're doing a guided tour that includes the vintage equipment, restored vehicles, and historical artifact displays.

Hour Two: Garden Circuit

From the Farm Museum, head south to the shade garden to take in the Japanese Maple plantings and perennial beds the Master Gardeners designed in 2017. Double back to the children's garden via the stone steps near the museum entrance, a natural stop for families with young children given the multiple activity zones. Finish the loop at the northeast corner of the park by walking through the Dr. Greg Church Perennial Research Garden and the adjacent Annual Demonstration Garden; interpretive context about the Earth-Kind® approach makes the plantings land differently once you know this garden has a national first attached to it.

Final 30 Minutes: Pond, Gazebo, and Open Grounds

The lakeside gazebo and pond offer a quieter close to the visit, especially on weekday mornings when event crowds are thin. If a public event is running, the amphitheater and show barns will be active; checking the county calendar before arrival helps you decide whether to plan around the crowd or join it.

Getting There and Planning Ahead

Myers Park & Event Center is located at 7117 County Road 166, McKinney, TX 75071, with the main entrance marked by the historic windmill at the North Gate. The park office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and staff can be reached at (972) 548-4792. Collin County maintains current event listings, rental rates, and maps on its official Myers Park page. On event weekends, arrive early because parking fills quickly for large exhibitions, and bring water and sun protection for any garden or grounds walking during warmer months.

The 158 acres John and Winnie Myers donated more than five decades ago turned out to be one of Collin County's more consequential civic gifts: a place where suburban families can still walk past a slowly rusting blacksmith shop, step through an internationally recognized research garden planted without a single pesticide, and book a wedding in the shade of Japanese Maples their neighbors put there seven years ago.